Discussion:
Article discussed main myths about science:
1.Hypotheses become theories which become laws
-False!
-theories and law are very different! Theories can include laws within them
2. Scientific laws and other such ideas are absolute
-Myth!!!
-science is tentative until more evidence is gathered
-outliers can be later proven to be true!
-deterministic and probabilistic laws
3. A hypothesis is an educated guess
-Myth!
-a hypothesis can be a prediction, an explanatory hypothesis or a generalizing hypothesis
-hypothesis can lead to a theory or a law (and these are different things)
-does not have to be an educated guess; can be a "way out there" prediction
4. A general and universal scientific method exists
-False!
-scientific method can follow different steps!
-it's good to teach a "general" scientific method, but also teach that it can change and be revised. It's a more circular process.
5. Evidence accumulated carefully will result in sure knowledge
-False again!
-it's not "sure" knowledge; it may change in the future.
-this knowledge remains true for the amount of information that we know now
6. Science and its methods provide absolute proof
-same as #5
7. Science is procedural more than creative
-"Very" false
-creativity is needed to come up with new experiments and to think outside the box
8. Science and its methods can answer all questions.
Who came up with these myths?
Can science answer the purpose of life? No!
Science can definitely not answer all questions.
9. Scientists are particularly objective.
-scientists are subjective in their conclusions. Always discuss chance of errors
10. Experiments are the principal route to scientific knowledge
-Important for school! This is what a science fair is.
-True experiments versus explorations, activities or technical procedures.
-Experiments require manipulation of variables to see what the result will be
-Important to address this myth with students!
Discussion:
Article discussed main myths about science:
1.Hypotheses become theories which become laws
-False!
-theories and law are very different! Theories can include laws within them
2. Scientific laws and other such ideas are absolute
-Myth!!!
-science is tentative until more evidence is gathered
-outliers can be later proven to be true!
-deterministic and probabilistic laws
3. A hypothesis is an educated guess
-Myth!
-a hypothesis can be a prediction, an explanatory hypothesis or a generalizing hypothesis
-hypothesis can lead to a theory or a law (and these are different things)
-does not have to be an educated guess; can be a "way out there" prediction
4. A general and universal scientific method exists
-False!
-scientific method can follow different steps!
-it's good to teach a "general" scientific method, but also teach that it can change and be revised. It's a more circular process.
5. Evidence accumulated carefully will result in sure knowledge
-False again!
-it's not "sure" knowledge; it may change in the future.
-this knowledge remains true for the amount of information that we know now
6. Science and its methods provide absolute proof
-same as #5
7. Science is procedural more than creative
-"Very" false
-creativity is needed to come up with new experiments and to think outside the box
8. Science and its methods can answer all questions.
Who came up with these myths?
Can science answer the purpose of life? No!
Science can definitely not answer all questions.
9. Scientists are particularly objective.
-scientists are subjective in their conclusions. Always discuss chance of errors
10. Experiments are the principal route to scientific knowledge
-Important for school! This is what a science fair is.
-True experiments versus explorations, activities or technical procedures.
-Experiments require manipulation of variables to see what the result will be
-Important to address this myth with students!